More than 20 years ago, when he was a student at the school, SEN left his mark on the walls of EB 2,3 João da Rosa, in Olhão, and was taken to the Board of Directors. Now, the artist from Olhão has returned to the establishment where he studied, but at the invitation of the direction, to paint murals of seahorses, the godchildren of what was the first Blue School in the Algarve.
The painting of the two murals, each with a giant seahorse, was made possible thanks to the support of the Rotary Club of Olhão and the company Tintas 2000 and is part of the Blue School project, which aims to promote the preservation of the oceans and marine species.
"We have a partnership with the Rotary Club of Olhão, which showed interest in supporting Escola Azul and which provided us with 500 euros to carry out an action," he explained to Sul Informação Carla Pacheco, marine biologist and representative of the Association of Parents of the João da Rosa School Grouping in this project.
Bearing in mind that one of the main concerns of the current direction of the Parents Association is “the impoverishment of the playgrounds” of the schools in the group, the help offered by the Rotarians was seen as an opportunity to improve the children's play areas.
«We decided to create these large murals, at the headquarters, as well as smaller elements, linked to floor or wall games, in the different schools in the group. Thus, SEN, in addition to these two large seahorses, will paint smaller ones in other establishments, as well as games with elements that refer to this animal species or to the Ria Formosa», framed Carla Pacheco.
In addition to this support, Tintas 2000 was created, «which financed 100% of the necessary paints and sprays».
With the murals, which are clearly visible to those outside the school and to those passing on the road that connects the Patinha roundabout to the industrial area of Olhão, it is intended to draw attention to the threats that hang over the seahorses of the Ria Formosa.
“This is a way of passing on the message and reinforcing the idea that the population of seahorses needs the community of Olhão to mobilize and work together for their preservation, as we all know that there is a lot of illegal capture. At the same time, we managed to enrich the playgrounds, using the meager resources we have», summarized Carla Pacheco.
This work in the different schools will be carried out during the summer. «When school starts, without September, we want to mark the thing in a big way, so that all children can see».
“We want to pass this message on to all schools in the group and, if possible, to other schools in the municipality of Olhão. But we became more and more linked to the image of the seahorse, a cause for which we are all working», added Luís Felício, director of the group.
Artist SEN, on the other hand, does not hide that this work has special characteristics. “This was the school I went to and I think it's highly that the Parents' Association invited me to come and paint, I didn't ask for it. It is a great opportunity. I had already thought of asking for a school wall, but I have never gone far with it», said the grapher in a conversation he had with the Sul Informação, when I was still starting the mural.
“This painting serves to alert people to the illegal fishing of seahorses. I was inspired by an image that was shown to me by the association and now I paint in my own way. But it's going to be something cool», he believes.
“Initially, 80 spray cans will be needed, plus roller paint,” anticipated SEN.
Photos: Rodrigo Damascene and Hugo Rodrigues|Sul Informação
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